This is the second edition of some links to enjoy around the web. I think I am extra excited this week. Maybe its the sun outside? Maybe its the start of the baseball season tomorrow (a sign that Minnesota Winter has to be on its last legs, I hope)? And maybe it has to do with the fact that my brother is coming to visit for a week on Friday!!
Anyway, outside of this, there are some interesting things out on the Web this week:
1) My advisor at Luther Seminary, Dr. Matt Skinner, is now a contributor to the religion section on Huffington Post. He provides an entry about once every three weeks, and his latest issue came out on the topic of the apocalypse. It's a fun and interesting read.
2) With it being the start of the baseball season, hope springs eternal. But as a Mariners fan, there is a great sense of sadness for us all. We are entering our first year without the voice of the Mariners, Mr. Dave Niehaus. It will be different, that's for sure. There will no longer be the man saying "Get Out the Rye Bread and Mustard Grandma, it's Grand Salami Time," or "My Oh My," etc. A nice blog entry appeared today on ESPN.com from Duff McKagan, which I highly recommend.
3) My friend (and one of Allison's and my groomsmen) from PLU, Tim Chalberg, had the distinct honor of having his baseball blog be connected to by a national sports blog this past week from NBCSports. Congrats Tim! (If you are a baseball fan, I highly recommend checking these out)
We'll end it there for today. Time to go out and enjoy the sun!
And- playball! [The Mariners open the season on Friday in Oakland; and the Twins begin on Friday in Toronto]
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Copyrights and the Church Musician
A case study is offered in "Love to Share":
"A music director in a small church in the United States must spend a large percentage of her time on copyright issues. To help with the issue of copyright, her congregation bought a license through a licensing agency that allows the church to use hymns for an annual fee. As part of the licensing requirements, she must document the music used each Sunday. But not all the songs the director wants to use are covered by the license. To use them, she must contact the original copyright owners to seek permission, which takes times and costs additional money. Sometimes it feels like she spends more of her time and the church's money on copyright issues than on ministry." (30-31)
This is certainly true. I have seen it from my time growing up with my mom as a music director, and I see it now myself as a Music Ministry Coordinator at Cross of Hope Lutheran.
My time has taught me though, that the vast majority of hymns or worship songs that might be used in either a traditional or contemporary music setting are covered under CCLI (Church Copyright License). If wanting to supplement this license further, holding OneLicense and CCLI together usually cover better than 95% of songs from experience that I would want to use.
These license agencies/groups make it easy for the church musician to have access to the proper rights to use music- whether in music notation form, printed lyrics or projected lyrics. Having central locations and resources such as these can take some of the worry and angst about copyright issues away, and allow those in these areas of ministry to be able to more deeply focus on making music and praising God rather than if they have permission to use a certain hymn/song to do so.
Additional Note: There are also options which give denominational permission to use a certain church's worship materials and liturgies. For the ELCA, this is Sundays and Seasons.
"A music director in a small church in the United States must spend a large percentage of her time on copyright issues. To help with the issue of copyright, her congregation bought a license through a licensing agency that allows the church to use hymns for an annual fee. As part of the licensing requirements, she must document the music used each Sunday. But not all the songs the director wants to use are covered by the license. To use them, she must contact the original copyright owners to seek permission, which takes times and costs additional money. Sometimes it feels like she spends more of her time and the church's money on copyright issues than on ministry." (30-31)
This is certainly true. I have seen it from my time growing up with my mom as a music director, and I see it now myself as a Music Ministry Coordinator at Cross of Hope Lutheran.
My time has taught me though, that the vast majority of hymns or worship songs that might be used in either a traditional or contemporary music setting are covered under CCLI (Church Copyright License). If wanting to supplement this license further, holding OneLicense and CCLI together usually cover better than 95% of songs from experience that I would want to use.
These license agencies/groups make it easy for the church musician to have access to the proper rights to use music- whether in music notation form, printed lyrics or projected lyrics. Having central locations and resources such as these can take some of the worry and angst about copyright issues away, and allow those in these areas of ministry to be able to more deeply focus on making music and praising God rather than if they have permission to use a certain hymn/song to do so.
Additional Note: There are also options which give denominational permission to use a certain church's worship materials and liturgies. For the ELCA, this is Sundays and Seasons.
Denomination Publishers- the bane of church musicians?
Mary Hess writes, "In the past many churches simply looked to their denominational publishers for authoritative content, assuming that whatever the publisher sold must be doctrinally sound and educationally appropriate. Setting aside for the moment a judgment about whether or not that process has worked well, we can say that it does not work at the current moment. Communities of faith are simply too diverse, and situated in too many different contexts, for print publishers to be able to produce such materials in a timely, cost-effective, theologically sound, and pedagogically appropriate way." [Mary Hess, Engaging Technology in Theological Education: All that We Can't Leave Behind, (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2005), 127-128.]
This discussion sparked some thoughts and memories. I have mentioned on this blog about my church music ministry position and background some. For a little more background, I was part of an exploratory committee in junior high/high school as my congregation's youth represenative on a committee exploring whether or not to begin a contemporary worship service and what this might look like. Ultimately, the church decided to offer a contemporary worship service each Sunday morning along with two more "traditional" worship services. This may not seem like much to many of you Minnesotans, but to have 3-services in an ELCA congregation in Western Washington is a big deal, and automatically places your congregation in a special group of congregations.
The contemporary service was constructed in such a way that it was different then usual praise and contemporary services at different churches of different denominations. The service at First Lutheran was ultimately called "Celebrate the Walk," and was intended to have a consistant flow and common thread throughout the worship each week tying the confession and litany and music with the lessons and message for that given Sunday (usually following the common lectionary). The model for our contemporary service was distinctly Lutheran (and remains so today at FLC). It was such a welcome addition and example of worship that the Synod bishop asked that our setting becom the informative norm for what a Lutheran contempoary service might look like, and so First Lutheran for a time was widely engaged in helping other churches discern whether their context might benefit from such a uniquely Lutheran service in a new way.
Now, the point of this blog's subject is denomination publishers. My opinion of Augsburg Fotress in the realm of academic and scholarly work is high. In music, not so much. Augsburg approached FLC about possibly using the church's created settings for examples for the larger church, but then after FLC had prepared the materials Augsburg decided not to make them available nationally. They believed that the model of contemporary worship was a "fad" and that the FLC take would not work in the larger church.
They are welcome to their opinion, but this act I believe restricted the church's ability to make its resources and ideas available to more churches and congregations, thus restricting open access. I also believe the decision was short-sighted. As the service now enters its eighth year, and has helped the church continue to grow its attendance and membership. Augsburg's version of contemporary music is including "Shine Jesus Shine" in the ELW. (Not to point out, that "Shine Jesus Shine," is arguably not contemporary anymore as it was published in 1987). This sad recognition can be seen when searching for contemporary music materials in the Augsburg bookstore at Luther Seminary. My mom, was here visiting in the fall. She is the music director at First Lutheran, and is the worship band leader. She wanted to check what materials Augsburg would have on hand. It turns out their contemporary music offerings are limited to worship books such as "The Other Song Book II" which was published over a decade ago.
I offer this series of thoughts to show a case study of how, in our very own church, the ELCA, with our very own publisher, Augsburg Fortress, we are just as guilty in not being able to keep up with the church in its musical diversity, and as a way to provide open access to new and creative ways of worship.
[Note: Lutheran Songs Today is a nice exception to this problem, but, the record shows, it is not affiliated with Augsburg Fortress in anyway.]
This discussion sparked some thoughts and memories. I have mentioned on this blog about my church music ministry position and background some. For a little more background, I was part of an exploratory committee in junior high/high school as my congregation's youth represenative on a committee exploring whether or not to begin a contemporary worship service and what this might look like. Ultimately, the church decided to offer a contemporary worship service each Sunday morning along with two more "traditional" worship services. This may not seem like much to many of you Minnesotans, but to have 3-services in an ELCA congregation in Western Washington is a big deal, and automatically places your congregation in a special group of congregations.
The contemporary service was constructed in such a way that it was different then usual praise and contemporary services at different churches of different denominations. The service at First Lutheran was ultimately called "Celebrate the Walk," and was intended to have a consistant flow and common thread throughout the worship each week tying the confession and litany and music with the lessons and message for that given Sunday (usually following the common lectionary). The model for our contemporary service was distinctly Lutheran (and remains so today at FLC). It was such a welcome addition and example of worship that the Synod bishop asked that our setting becom the informative norm for what a Lutheran contempoary service might look like, and so First Lutheran for a time was widely engaged in helping other churches discern whether their context might benefit from such a uniquely Lutheran service in a new way.
Now, the point of this blog's subject is denomination publishers. My opinion of Augsburg Fotress in the realm of academic and scholarly work is high. In music, not so much. Augsburg approached FLC about possibly using the church's created settings for examples for the larger church, but then after FLC had prepared the materials Augsburg decided not to make them available nationally. They believed that the model of contemporary worship was a "fad" and that the FLC take would not work in the larger church.
They are welcome to their opinion, but this act I believe restricted the church's ability to make its resources and ideas available to more churches and congregations, thus restricting open access. I also believe the decision was short-sighted. As the service now enters its eighth year, and has helped the church continue to grow its attendance and membership. Augsburg's version of contemporary music is including "Shine Jesus Shine" in the ELW. (Not to point out, that "Shine Jesus Shine," is arguably not contemporary anymore as it was published in 1987). This sad recognition can be seen when searching for contemporary music materials in the Augsburg bookstore at Luther Seminary. My mom, was here visiting in the fall. She is the music director at First Lutheran, and is the worship band leader. She wanted to check what materials Augsburg would have on hand. It turns out their contemporary music offerings are limited to worship books such as "The Other Song Book II" which was published over a decade ago.
I offer this series of thoughts to show a case study of how, in our very own church, the ELCA, with our very own publisher, Augsburg Fortress, we are just as guilty in not being able to keep up with the church in its musical diversity, and as a way to provide open access to new and creative ways of worship.
[Note: Lutheran Songs Today is a nice exception to this problem, but, the record shows, it is not affiliated with Augsburg Fortress in anyway.]
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Great Conversation Today
This morning I had a chance to meet with the Lutheran World Relief's Director of Social Media! Rev. Dan Ruth is the director, and he is based right here in the Twin Cities at the Minneapolis office of LWR. We chatted about a number of things over coffee/hot chocolate (those of you who know me, know that I was the one drinking the hot chocolate) at Dunn Brothers. It was a great way to pass an hour this morning while the snow came down in buckets.
To those of you not here in the Frozen Tundra, we had nearly gotten rid of our entire snowpack until last night/today, where we got about 8-10 new inches of snow. The ground is all nice and cleanly white again, so much for seeing the grass. hahaha
Anyway, our conversation covered how Dan got to where he is, and what he does. He was formally a student at St. Olaf, and Luther Seminary. It was an interesting conversation, not just given Dan's position's relevance for our class on Media Culture, it was a great first conversation of many between the two of us hopefully. Dan will be a good contact to maintain, but also a great conversation partner as I explore and develop my topic for my MA Thesis this coming year, and hope to some day work in the NGO/Non-profit field.
To those of you not here in the Frozen Tundra, we had nearly gotten rid of our entire snowpack until last night/today, where we got about 8-10 new inches of snow. The ground is all nice and cleanly white again, so much for seeing the grass. hahaha
Anyway, our conversation covered how Dan got to where he is, and what he does. He was formally a student at St. Olaf, and Luther Seminary. It was an interesting conversation, not just given Dan's position's relevance for our class on Media Culture, it was a great first conversation of many between the two of us hopefully. Dan will be a good contact to maintain, but also a great conversation partner as I explore and develop my topic for my MA Thesis this coming year, and hope to some day work in the NGO/Non-profit field.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Use of Media and Information to overcome Poverty Traps
This week in the Proactive Ministry in Media Culture class, we are considering media education in a more focused way. To this end, we have been given access to a number of policy statements, and working reports. These are primarily the work of different non-profits, research institutes, and religious denominations.
Now, awhile back, I was asked to speak more about the concept of a "poverty trap." This week seems like a good week to focus more deeply on what this means. Especially given one of the documents we were directed to, "The No-Nonsense guide to Media, the Right to Information and Poverty Reduction."
According to the document, "Strengthening the voices of people living in poverty improves understandings and actions aimed at addressing poverty, injustice, and inequality and can inform and influence public agendas locally, nationally, and internationally" (page 1). This seems consistant with the local response to the problem in Minnesota, through the actions of A Minnesota Without Poverty. But more importantly to me, it underscores why I feel such a passion in my calling to help in organizations who do economic development, relief, and poverty alleviation related work.
Regarding poverty traps, education and open access to information are required to get out of poverty. As the document says, "In a vicious circle, excluded people are more likely to fall into poverty and the poorer they become, the more vulnerable they are to social exclusion and political marginalization" (page 1).
Economists Michael P. Todaro & Stephen C. Smith define a poverty trap as, "A bad equilibrium for a family, community, or nation, involving a vicious cycle in which poverty and underdevelopment lead to more poverty and underdevelopment, often from one generation to the next." [Michael P. Todaro & Stephen C. Smith, Economic Development, (Boston, MA: Pearson, Addison Wesley, 2006), 824.]
Without access to information, people are at a disadvantage just as they are without infrastructure (such as power, transportation, etc.). This is in part why I feel its a no-brainer to consider broadband access and internet access as essential in today's world to not only be connected, but to be able to communicate and learn. (After all, the UN has declared that "Freedom of information is a fundamental human right...") As more and more of our knowledge and resources are placed in digital locations and provided over the internet, if one's access to such is limited, so is their access to information in general. Without adequate access to information, not only is one at a disadvantage, they are "cut-off" or "trapped." People without this access are excluded and marginalized.
As Christians we are called to speak out about injustice and to identify and reach out to the margins. One great way to do that today is to speak out for those who cannot speak for themeselves because they do not have the resources to do so. The best outcome of course, is that we can provide these tools to all people and show them how they can use them to share their insights and perspectives. Therefore, there might be communal learning and collaboration.
Now, awhile back, I was asked to speak more about the concept of a "poverty trap." This week seems like a good week to focus more deeply on what this means. Especially given one of the documents we were directed to, "The No-Nonsense guide to Media, the Right to Information and Poverty Reduction."
According to the document, "Strengthening the voices of people living in poverty improves understandings and actions aimed at addressing poverty, injustice, and inequality and can inform and influence public agendas locally, nationally, and internationally" (page 1). This seems consistant with the local response to the problem in Minnesota, through the actions of A Minnesota Without Poverty. But more importantly to me, it underscores why I feel such a passion in my calling to help in organizations who do economic development, relief, and poverty alleviation related work.
Regarding poverty traps, education and open access to information are required to get out of poverty. As the document says, "In a vicious circle, excluded people are more likely to fall into poverty and the poorer they become, the more vulnerable they are to social exclusion and political marginalization" (page 1).
Economists Michael P. Todaro & Stephen C. Smith define a poverty trap as, "A bad equilibrium for a family, community, or nation, involving a vicious cycle in which poverty and underdevelopment lead to more poverty and underdevelopment, often from one generation to the next." [Michael P. Todaro & Stephen C. Smith, Economic Development, (Boston, MA: Pearson, Addison Wesley, 2006), 824.]
Without access to information, people are at a disadvantage just as they are without infrastructure (such as power, transportation, etc.). This is in part why I feel its a no-brainer to consider broadband access and internet access as essential in today's world to not only be connected, but to be able to communicate and learn. (After all, the UN has declared that "Freedom of information is a fundamental human right...") As more and more of our knowledge and resources are placed in digital locations and provided over the internet, if one's access to such is limited, so is their access to information in general. Without adequate access to information, not only is one at a disadvantage, they are "cut-off" or "trapped." People without this access are excluded and marginalized.
As Christians we are called to speak out about injustice and to identify and reach out to the margins. One great way to do that today is to speak out for those who cannot speak for themeselves because they do not have the resources to do so. The best outcome of course, is that we can provide these tools to all people and show them how they can use them to share their insights and perspectives. Therefore, there might be communal learning and collaboration.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Dance of Redemption
Dr. Mary Hess presents and makes reference Dr. Katie Cannon's "The Dance of Redemption" in her sixth chapter of Engaging Technology in Theological Education: All that we can't leave behind (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefiled Publishers, Inc., 2005).
Dr. Cannon's model can be found on page 108. She "has developed a process called 'the dance of redemption,' that provides a way to approach a specific problem while yet engaging diverse resources and ensuring connections to cmmunity(iesa). This process has seven steps, envisoned as cyclical and ongoing. There is no way to 'finish' this process; one can only move through it with various questions and from various standpoints. Yet it is explicitly designed to provide ways to assess and celebrate progress, thus nourishing one's continued journey in the 'dance'" (108-109).
I am going to walk you through the model below and offer my thoughts on what this might look like. My thoughts will be in italics after the different portions of the model in bold. Now, imagine a model that is a circle with arrows going in a clockwise fashion. These arrows are connecting the following:
Conscientization: When reality does not fit into what is normative; cognitive dissonance
This might be when one makes a discovery, or observation that is unknown, previously unrealized, or challenges one's assumptions, world view, or faith convictions (among other possibilities). Such as, recognizing oppressive structures in one's every day life.
Emancipatory Historiography: What are the systems/logic which hold the structures of oppression in place?
What are the socio-economic realities? What are the assumptions in the institutions, organizations, or structures? What might the church or one's faith have to say?
Theological Resources: How do the theological disciplines as well as your spiritual community uphold and/or hinder the structures of oppression?
What does your church or faith community have to say? Does the way we worship or shape our worship practices reinforce a sense of oppression or "othering?" Is there a sense of insider-outsider, or "insider knowledge?"
This theological reflection might be well served by using Dr. Patrica O'Connell Killen's The Art of Theological Reflection, (New York, NY: Crossroad Press, 1996). We alluded to this framework in class last week while disecting the SuperBowl commercial about the child in the DarthVader costume. I was ecstatic to use the framework because Dr. Killen was my religion advisor at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). She is a fantastic scholar in religion and theology, who has recently taken on a calling towards academic leadership. She served as provost at PLU, and last year left PLU after over 20 years on the faculty to become Academic Dean at Gonzaga University.
Norm Clarification: How are your values clearer? To whom are you accountable? Where do you come down?
Has the act of theological reflection, and the use of your resources help clarify who you are and more importantly what you believe? Are you responsible to anyone? If in a church as a leader, to a church council? We are all accountable to God of course. But beyond God, are we only answerable to ourselves? Or, do we allow others: individuals, groups, communities, etc., to hold a sort of responsibility over us?
Strategic Options: Brainstorming: How can I use my conscientization, what have I learned, what are the possible consequences of the options to consider?
As Peter Drucker would ask as one of his "Five Questions," "what are my results?" Where are we going? What sort of trajectory will this decision or idea possibly take? Do I know what I need to know, or do I need to know more still and be better informed?
Annunciation and Celebration: I can't do this...by myself. Together remember, name, and celebrate the presence and power that sustains struggle.
This is a place for further reflection, but this reflection requires communal conversation and discernment. For example, this is where the new student group at Luther Seminary, "Transformers: Theologians in Disguise" is in, as it grows and reflects on why it feels it needs to exist. The group feels a desire to engage in weekly conversation regarding critical theology- such as feminist. liberation, economic, ecological theology, etc. It is a student group which has grown each week it meets, and its always open for new participants. Faculty and staff are welcome too, and we have been joined by the likes of Dr. Martinson, Dr. Malcolm, and Dr. Marga already. The group's origins were in response to the "Transformative Lutheran Theologies" book alluded to in my previous post.
Re-reflection/Strategic Action
Okay, this is where you are able to look back and see how things have changed, but also to see what kind of work still needs to be done.
Conscientization
The process repeats from the beginning.
Overall, this model seems very helpful, especially for thinking and reflecting critically on any topic from oppression, to other wondering about injustice, inequality, etc.
Dr. Cannon's model can be found on page 108. She "has developed a process called 'the dance of redemption,' that provides a way to approach a specific problem while yet engaging diverse resources and ensuring connections to cmmunity(iesa). This process has seven steps, envisoned as cyclical and ongoing. There is no way to 'finish' this process; one can only move through it with various questions and from various standpoints. Yet it is explicitly designed to provide ways to assess and celebrate progress, thus nourishing one's continued journey in the 'dance'" (108-109).
I am going to walk you through the model below and offer my thoughts on what this might look like. My thoughts will be in italics after the different portions of the model in bold. Now, imagine a model that is a circle with arrows going in a clockwise fashion. These arrows are connecting the following:
Conscientization: When reality does not fit into what is normative; cognitive dissonance
This might be when one makes a discovery, or observation that is unknown, previously unrealized, or challenges one's assumptions, world view, or faith convictions (among other possibilities). Such as, recognizing oppressive structures in one's every day life.
Emancipatory Historiography: What are the systems/logic which hold the structures of oppression in place?
What are the socio-economic realities? What are the assumptions in the institutions, organizations, or structures? What might the church or one's faith have to say?
Theological Resources: How do the theological disciplines as well as your spiritual community uphold and/or hinder the structures of oppression?
What does your church or faith community have to say? Does the way we worship or shape our worship practices reinforce a sense of oppression or "othering?" Is there a sense of insider-outsider, or "insider knowledge?"
This theological reflection might be well served by using Dr. Patrica O'Connell Killen's The Art of Theological Reflection, (New York, NY: Crossroad Press, 1996). We alluded to this framework in class last week while disecting the SuperBowl commercial about the child in the DarthVader costume. I was ecstatic to use the framework because Dr. Killen was my religion advisor at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU). She is a fantastic scholar in religion and theology, who has recently taken on a calling towards academic leadership. She served as provost at PLU, and last year left PLU after over 20 years on the faculty to become Academic Dean at Gonzaga University.
Norm Clarification: How are your values clearer? To whom are you accountable? Where do you come down?
Has the act of theological reflection, and the use of your resources help clarify who you are and more importantly what you believe? Are you responsible to anyone? If in a church as a leader, to a church council? We are all accountable to God of course. But beyond God, are we only answerable to ourselves? Or, do we allow others: individuals, groups, communities, etc., to hold a sort of responsibility over us?
Strategic Options: Brainstorming: How can I use my conscientization, what have I learned, what are the possible consequences of the options to consider?
As Peter Drucker would ask as one of his "Five Questions," "what are my results?" Where are we going? What sort of trajectory will this decision or idea possibly take? Do I know what I need to know, or do I need to know more still and be better informed?
Annunciation and Celebration: I can't do this...by myself. Together remember, name, and celebrate the presence and power that sustains struggle.
This is a place for further reflection, but this reflection requires communal conversation and discernment. For example, this is where the new student group at Luther Seminary, "Transformers: Theologians in Disguise" is in, as it grows and reflects on why it feels it needs to exist. The group feels a desire to engage in weekly conversation regarding critical theology- such as feminist. liberation, economic, ecological theology, etc. It is a student group which has grown each week it meets, and its always open for new participants. Faculty and staff are welcome too, and we have been joined by the likes of Dr. Martinson, Dr. Malcolm, and Dr. Marga already. The group's origins were in response to the "Transformative Lutheran Theologies" book alluded to in my previous post.
Re-reflection/Strategic Action
Okay, this is where you are able to look back and see how things have changed, but also to see what kind of work still needs to be done.
Conscientization
The process repeats from the beginning.
Overall, this model seems very helpful, especially for thinking and reflecting critically on any topic from oppression, to other wondering about injustice, inequality, etc.
Tuesday's Links
I have decided to try out some thing some of my favorite blogs do often. They simply provide a basic synopsis of interesting news and events.
Mine will not be nearly as lengthy, but hopefully interesting.
First, Allison and I had the priviledge to attend a panel discussion with some of the authors of Transformative Lutheran Theology. The panel was held at St. Olaf yesterday evening, and featured the amazing theologians Marit Trelstad (one of our absolute favorite professors at PLU), as well as Deanna Thompson (quickly become a friend and supporter of our's at Hamline), Kris Kvom, and Cynthia Moe-Lobeda. I think I was most excited to meet Dr. Moe-Lobeda, because I have used her models and ideas in my research for nearly 5 years now. She has had a profound effect on my own theology and theological viewpoints, and to finally get to converse with her one-on-one was such a blessing. (It's kind of ironic that I had to wait until she was at a panel in Northfield, MN, though. I have had conversations with her for years via e-mail, but never the chance to meet her. Even though she is a professor at Seattle University back in my neck of the woods near home). Anyway, if you would like to see the panel, St. Olaf provided a video of it.
Second, in the lines of videos, friend and former Lute, as well as former Stuenite, Erik Bergs was on the local news here in the Twin Cities yesterday. Erik is currently teaching in Japan, and was interviewed about his experiences since late last week.
Finally, what would links be without some sports news. Geoff Baker has this interesting story on Mariner's phenom prospect Michael Pineda, and his chances of making the rotation. And, "Fangs Bites," provides a good primer for the broadcast teams for the first rounds of March Madness starting this week (today in fact). Also, GO SOUNDERS! They start the 2011 MLS Season tonight on ESPN.
Mine will not be nearly as lengthy, but hopefully interesting.
First, Allison and I had the priviledge to attend a panel discussion with some of the authors of Transformative Lutheran Theology. The panel was held at St. Olaf yesterday evening, and featured the amazing theologians Marit Trelstad (one of our absolute favorite professors at PLU), as well as Deanna Thompson (quickly become a friend and supporter of our's at Hamline), Kris Kvom, and Cynthia Moe-Lobeda. I think I was most excited to meet Dr. Moe-Lobeda, because I have used her models and ideas in my research for nearly 5 years now. She has had a profound effect on my own theology and theological viewpoints, and to finally get to converse with her one-on-one was such a blessing. (It's kind of ironic that I had to wait until she was at a panel in Northfield, MN, though. I have had conversations with her for years via e-mail, but never the chance to meet her. Even though she is a professor at Seattle University back in my neck of the woods near home). Anyway, if you would like to see the panel, St. Olaf provided a video of it.
Second, in the lines of videos, friend and former Lute, as well as former Stuenite, Erik Bergs was on the local news here in the Twin Cities yesterday. Erik is currently teaching in Japan, and was interviewed about his experiences since late last week.
Finally, what would links be without some sports news. Geoff Baker has this interesting story on Mariner's phenom prospect Michael Pineda, and his chances of making the rotation. And, "Fangs Bites," provides a good primer for the broadcast teams for the first rounds of March Madness starting this week (today in fact). Also, GO SOUNDERS! They start the 2011 MLS Season tonight on ESPN.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Follow Up To Last Week's Seminary Education Thoughts
In reading Proverbs of Ashes: Violence, Redemptive Suffering, and The Search for What Saves Us for my Feminist Theology class this past weekend, there was a particular passage which seemed helpful after my wondering and questions from last week. Particularly, in regards to what seminary might look like when its truly a place of discovery- both for the individual and the community.
Rebecca Ann Parker writes about when she was approached about being one of the first female seminary presidents in the country. She had been serving as a United Methodist pastor in the Seattle area, when she received an offer to become the President of the Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California. This school is one of the schools that is a part of the GTU (Graduate Theological Union), in which among others include PLTS- Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.
Parker writes:
Rebecca Ann Parker writes about when she was approached about being one of the first female seminary presidents in the country. She had been serving as a United Methodist pastor in the Seattle area, when she received an offer to become the President of the Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California. This school is one of the schools that is a part of the GTU (Graduate Theological Union), in which among others include PLTS- Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.
Parker writes:
"Starr King's approach to education involved individual attention to each student. Authenticity and wholeness were encouraged. Evasion and self-delusion were challenged. Students were trusted. The exercise of their agency and self-direction in charting their educational course was expected. The school avoided approaches to education that might disempower students,t hat might teach people to disregard their knowledge and experience of the world, in the service of ideals or agendas of the educator. In this atmosphere my own instincts for honesty in religious questions were welcome. And, later, when I would struggle to more fully face my own life, the school would prove hospitiable to my searching spirit" (Parker and Brock, 169).
I am not saying that Luther Seminary should be like this entirely, but from the sounds of it, this approach might be helpful in considering if Luther is compatible as a whole institution to this approach or not. (Obviously, the larger church that is a part of these separate seminaries is very different from one another though, one a seminary of the ELCA, the other affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Church.)
If you are curious, and would like to check out this book, or if you would like to give it a read:
Rita Nakashima Brock & Rebecca Ann Parker, Proverbs of Ashes: Violence, Redemptive Suffering, and The Search for What Saves Us, (Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2001).
I warn you, this book is well written in that its raw. It let's the reader in to experience the extent of human brokenness in the world. Never, have I read such a powerful book that hints at the great complexity and extent of human brokenness. At the same time, the book itself is a journey which leads towards hope, and redemption.
Tensions, Persistance, and Networking
Scharen discusses the tension one faces between one's vocation and passion and the idea of submission to God, in his chapter 7 "Leisure and the Arts." He offers the story of Makota Fujimura, whose story really resonates with me, because Makota refuses to give into assumptions in the face of conflict and tension. He believes that he can do both- live out his passion, and be faithful in his submission and service to God.
Scharen writes, "Mako has the support of his faith community so that while his integration of faith with his art has come at some cost to his success in the art world, he has had the strength of conviction to endure. Despite the fact that he cannot resolve the tensions, he has not given up struggling to make his faith and work in the arts into one life. For him, the struggle has been possible because he has been intentional about building a network that will support his work and encourage, rather than prevent, this melding of faith and the arts. Building on Mako's story, we can consider the resources of faith needed to overcome the divide between faith, arts, and culture, and to lead communities in which such integration can be practiced with vigor" (Scharen, 116-117).
This network building and integration is not easy. But its something that has become much easier to do with the rise of media and primarily the tools of social networking. Because of e-mail and Facebook, I am able to have a network of peers that only a decade ago would seem impossible to maintain.
The act of networking also helps build bridges. Its through networking, that I hope, as an MA student I will be able to find a job in the ministry/industry I feel called towards (the NGO/non-profit/social-sector). I do not have the same "luxury" that my fellow students at seminary have as part of an M.Div. program with a pre-built structure through which they will be called and given a place to work. This part, will fall to me without the resources of this "call structure." So, it will be important for me to use and continue to build a network which includes friends, teachers, professors, and people whom I have met through various functions across the country and around the world. Though some say that social networking is eroding our sense of community and place, I think its merely changing it. For those that are willing to use it, its creating a community of intentionality. Mako is intentional in finding a way to meld his gifts and passions with the service of God in art. He is having to develop this on his own, but is not alone, as he has the resources of his friends, family, and the goodness of strangers to help build a network where his story and dreams can be realized.
Scharen writes, "Mako has the support of his faith community so that while his integration of faith with his art has come at some cost to his success in the art world, he has had the strength of conviction to endure. Despite the fact that he cannot resolve the tensions, he has not given up struggling to make his faith and work in the arts into one life. For him, the struggle has been possible because he has been intentional about building a network that will support his work and encourage, rather than prevent, this melding of faith and the arts. Building on Mako's story, we can consider the resources of faith needed to overcome the divide between faith, arts, and culture, and to lead communities in which such integration can be practiced with vigor" (Scharen, 116-117).
This network building and integration is not easy. But its something that has become much easier to do with the rise of media and primarily the tools of social networking. Because of e-mail and Facebook, I am able to have a network of peers that only a decade ago would seem impossible to maintain.
The act of networking also helps build bridges. Its through networking, that I hope, as an MA student I will be able to find a job in the ministry/industry I feel called towards (the NGO/non-profit/social-sector). I do not have the same "luxury" that my fellow students at seminary have as part of an M.Div. program with a pre-built structure through which they will be called and given a place to work. This part, will fall to me without the resources of this "call structure." So, it will be important for me to use and continue to build a network which includes friends, teachers, professors, and people whom I have met through various functions across the country and around the world. Though some say that social networking is eroding our sense of community and place, I think its merely changing it. For those that are willing to use it, its creating a community of intentionality. Mako is intentional in finding a way to meld his gifts and passions with the service of God in art. He is having to develop this on his own, but is not alone, as he has the resources of his friends, family, and the goodness of strangers to help build a network where his story and dreams can be realized.
Leadership as Learning and Meaning-Making
I preface this post with the caveat that this one is more of me just offering some random thoughts which come into my brain while process what Cormode writes about.
Scott Cormode cites Peter Senge, when saying that Senge calls the process of communal understanding "'the development of collective meaning' and argues that it 'is an essential characteristic of the learning organization.'" (Cormode, 96)
Cormode takes this idea and then creates his conception of the "gardener," as a leader or person who can evoke learning and the process of making meaning. He writes, that "the gardener tills the soil and prepares the environment. But the growing itself is often beyond the gardener to control. Thus to evoke learning is like cultivating a garden. It comes when the environment is right. Cultivating these learning environments becomes the principal work of ministry." (97) WOW! Now, not only is cultivating learning and knowledge an act of leadership, it is a part of one's vocation and ministry!
This builds off his explanation which he offers of Symbolic Leadership. He refers to the work of Bolman and Deal who explain this form of leadership as centering "on the concepts of meaning, belief, and faith." (94) During situations of challenge and uncertainty, then it is up to the symbolic leader to create meaning. Cormode writes, "During periods of significant social change, society looks to such symbolic leaders to weave troublesome events into a coherent narrative of hope." (94) If you are looking for some historical examples, consider the way Martin Luther King Jr. worked for Civil Rights by weaving together the narrative of Moses leading God's people out of Egypt.
Scott Cormode cites Peter Senge, when saying that Senge calls the process of communal understanding "'the development of collective meaning' and argues that it 'is an essential characteristic of the learning organization.'" (Cormode, 96)
Cormode takes this idea and then creates his conception of the "gardener," as a leader or person who can evoke learning and the process of making meaning. He writes, that "the gardener tills the soil and prepares the environment. But the growing itself is often beyond the gardener to control. Thus to evoke learning is like cultivating a garden. It comes when the environment is right. Cultivating these learning environments becomes the principal work of ministry." (97) WOW! Now, not only is cultivating learning and knowledge an act of leadership, it is a part of one's vocation and ministry!
This builds off his explanation which he offers of Symbolic Leadership. He refers to the work of Bolman and Deal who explain this form of leadership as centering "on the concepts of meaning, belief, and faith." (94) During situations of challenge and uncertainty, then it is up to the symbolic leader to create meaning. Cormode writes, "During periods of significant social change, society looks to such symbolic leaders to weave troublesome events into a coherent narrative of hope." (94) If you are looking for some historical examples, consider the way Martin Luther King Jr. worked for Civil Rights by weaving together the narrative of Moses leading God's people out of Egypt.
Multi-Layered Leadership
Reading this 2002 article, "Multi-Layered Leadership: The Christian Leader as Builder, Shepherd, and Gardener," almost convinces me that its author must have been in conversation with Peter Drucker. It's not that hard to believe that this would be possible, since Scott Cormode, its author was the chair in Church Adminstration and Finance at the Claremont School of Theology, about a 5 minute walk to the Peter F. Drucker School of Management. Plus, it would explain the references to Peter Senge, Max DePree, and Ron Heifetz.
But outside of this pondering, a number of things have been going through my head. This model which Cormode proposes of the "Gardener," is what other leadership people would seemingly call connective leaders. In that, they recognize that there are different leadership skills requied for different situations, and that they are able to meet these situations with the appropriate skills or know how to let another person with the certain required skills, frames, or training take the lead. It's an example of shared and empowering leadership, which is able to make meaning. When Cormode writes that "the good pastor will begin to acquire skills to work with each of the models. At this point, the models stop being styles and become 'frames'" I wonder, if he was aware of the connective model? (If you click that link, you will be taken to an explanation of it, and to its diagram showing the interdependence and interrelationship of the different areas of leadership.) They seem to compliment each other well. If I had known about this article a year ago, I might have referenced it in my masters work on developing a leadership model for cultivating leadership in Haiti.
The case study which is discussed about a congregation facing a difficult situation would be a useful example of how to implement my tweaks to the Connective Leadership model below. When there is a situation or challenge, an organization, group, or person will be faced with needing to respond. When there is no challenge, and life is in a state of "status quo," this might be a state of "routine." When ideas or assumptions are challenged, rebuilding or remaking one's approach or understanding might be called for. This is where leadership as a way to cultivate meaning is so important. Recovery then, is a way of responding to a challenge, and restoring order. The extent of the challenges might categorize them as "simple, chaotic, complicated, or complex." I, with the help of the work done by Jean Lipman-Blumen and David Snowden and Mary Boone, hypothesize that these states of challenges might require different leadership skills or sets. [1] [2]
A direct approach (what Cormode would likely call the "builder" approach); an instrumental approach (what he terms the Shepherd approach); and a relational apporach (closely resembling his conception of the gardener). I could say much more here, but for now, I will leave it with this background. If there is more interest by you, the reader, I would be hapy to continue to explain the model or even provide you with my paper from last year where this model comes from.
[1] David J. Snowden & Mary E. Boone, “A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making,” Harvard Business Review, November 2007, pages 68-76.
[2] Jean Lipman-Blumen, The Connective Edge: Leading in an Interdependent World, (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996), page 112.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Vocational Affirmation in the Classroom (??)
In continuation of the post I provided yesterday, I wonder if I didn't come across a bit to harsh? I hope not. But having read it again, I think it is a fair display for healthy criticism.
Today, Luther Seminary hosted its third community forum of the academic year. It considered the way the Bible is taught and studied here, and how that looks in the curriculum of the community. I believe this is a valuable endeavor, and important.
However, out of the questions and conversation that was sparked, questions ranging from: why we do not get taught the Deuteronomic Historical Books?; what does this mean for Biblical Authority?; to, are we learning what we need to learn out in the real world?; came a question to me. In the "so what" portions of classes at Luther Seminary there tend to be applications of what we are learning to the pastoral ministry, and pulpit setting. These applications of vocation are affirming to M.Div. students, but what, I wonder can be said for those of us who are M.A.'s? I am not only speaking to those who feel a calling to continued learning and perhaps Ph.D. studies, but also those of us who are here for other ministry calls? Such as, those of us called to be leaders of non-profits and NGOs? Are there applications that can be applied in class?
I hope so and I believe so. This class excites me, for that very reason as we will be able to work with a non-profit, A Minnesota Without Poverty. I also hope though, that such applications could be more wide scale. Otherwise, the lack of their application, seems to challenge or somewhat question why on earth people like me have decided that seminary study is an integral part of our call.
I wonder then, could this be a valuable and worthwhile consideration for Luther Seminary to use in curriculum construction? Could it be a way for Luther Seminary to be out front of the church, as the church is sensing that its changing on a national and global scale and that forms of ministry are changing to become more fluid and less rigid and structured? Hopefully these are more good questions to consider. At the very least, they are what my head is spinning around at the moment.
Today, Luther Seminary hosted its third community forum of the academic year. It considered the way the Bible is taught and studied here, and how that looks in the curriculum of the community. I believe this is a valuable endeavor, and important.
However, out of the questions and conversation that was sparked, questions ranging from: why we do not get taught the Deuteronomic Historical Books?; what does this mean for Biblical Authority?; to, are we learning what we need to learn out in the real world?; came a question to me. In the "so what" portions of classes at Luther Seminary there tend to be applications of what we are learning to the pastoral ministry, and pulpit setting. These applications of vocation are affirming to M.Div. students, but what, I wonder can be said for those of us who are M.A.'s? I am not only speaking to those who feel a calling to continued learning and perhaps Ph.D. studies, but also those of us who are here for other ministry calls? Such as, those of us called to be leaders of non-profits and NGOs? Are there applications that can be applied in class?
I hope so and I believe so. This class excites me, for that very reason as we will be able to work with a non-profit, A Minnesota Without Poverty. I also hope though, that such applications could be more wide scale. Otherwise, the lack of their application, seems to challenge or somewhat question why on earth people like me have decided that seminary study is an integral part of our call.
I wonder then, could this be a valuable and worthwhile consideration for Luther Seminary to use in curriculum construction? Could it be a way for Luther Seminary to be out front of the church, as the church is sensing that its changing on a national and global scale and that forms of ministry are changing to become more fluid and less rigid and structured? Hopefully these are more good questions to consider. At the very least, they are what my head is spinning around at the moment.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
"Victims" in our Post-Modern, Information Age Society
Continuing in the trend of thought from the previous post, I had to add one last quote from the text which I think is quite insightful.
Scharer and Hilberath write that, "As a rule people become victims in our culture when they differ from those viewed as 'normal.' The differences may be in language, lifestyle, clothing, social relationships, and many other things. There are numerous forgotten victims in our society: those who fall short of the modern economic and communication system because they cannot keep up, because they are unemployed, sick, disabled, or simply because somewhere they 'lost the connection.'" (135)
If we the church are called to speak out as Christ did for the disadvantaged, and oppressed, we now have even more neighbors and sisters and brothers to speak up on behalf of. It gives new perspective to what it means to be a "victim" today. It also gives new importance and significance to the voice of the faithful, in our call to give voice to the voiceless.
Text:
Matthias Scharer & Bernd Jochen Hilberath, The Practice of Communicative Theology: an introduction to a new theological culture, (New York, NY: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2008).
Scharer and Hilberath write that, "As a rule people become victims in our culture when they differ from those viewed as 'normal.' The differences may be in language, lifestyle, clothing, social relationships, and many other things. There are numerous forgotten victims in our society: those who fall short of the modern economic and communication system because they cannot keep up, because they are unemployed, sick, disabled, or simply because somewhere they 'lost the connection.'" (135)
If we the church are called to speak out as Christ did for the disadvantaged, and oppressed, we now have even more neighbors and sisters and brothers to speak up on behalf of. It gives new perspective to what it means to be a "victim" today. It also gives new importance and significance to the voice of the faithful, in our call to give voice to the voiceless.
Text:
Matthias Scharer & Bernd Jochen Hilberath, The Practice of Communicative Theology: an introduction to a new theological culture, (New York, NY: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2008).
Equal Access to Information and Infrastructure
A further discussion in the Scharer and Hilberath book got me to thinking about how I believe that people should have equal access to the Internet. I believe that in our information age, how everything is reliant upon updated information and access, not having access to the Internet is comparable to not having clean drinking water or electricity. A lack of any of these components puts someone at a distinct disadvantage not only in an economy, and society, but also life in general today.
How much of what we do now is reliant upon Internet access? A few things that come to mind: this class; readings for class; staying in contact with family, friends, and professors; monitoring one's finances; doing one's taxes; finding answers to questions we have; finding directions; purchasing airline tickets; ordering gifts/presents... the list is obviously never ending. But it serves a point, could you live in today's society without some kind of access to the Internet? It would be pretty difficult. The same goes for electricity. Could you imagine not having electricity in today's society?
The writers of the book comment, "On the one hand, we have the economic and cultural 'real' space of the Northern Hemisphere, propagating the hope of boundless communication, but at the same time aggressively excluding the 'unnetworked' from a fair share of world resources and reducing them to virtual illiterates" (42). This is a new creation of the "have-nots" in our world. We have long had economic poverty, and resource poverty. Now we seemingly have information poverty. This is a poverty confounded by unequal access to education, or secondary education for people because of prohibitive costs or extenuating circumstances, but also, unequal access to the information world of the Internet itself.
This is why there have been a number of initiatives to correct this. I know in Washington State, the Northwest Open Access Network was founded by a number of public utility entities with the hope of being able to provide access to all. This model then was taken by former Washington state governor Gary Locke, who is now the Secretary of Commerce. It can be seen also in the initiatives that President Obama has encouraged.
I think this is valuable work, and something that is important ministry as well. Providing access to all, is not only social justice, its about giving people an opportunity and meeting them where they are. By doing this, we are living out the call to serve our neighbor.
If, however, we do not reach out and help provide these opportunities to people, communities will be left behind. The authors of The Practice of Communicative Theology rightly claim, "the greatest losers will be people in the so-called third and fourth worlds, the nonnetworked laborers, whose potentialities will thus lie fallow" (47). In order for the gifts of God to be realized most fully in our sisters and brothers in Christ, they must have the tools and ability to access the information needed, not only for discernment and discovery, but also to communicate to those in other sectors and ministry services around the world. If they do not, the disadvantaged and oppressed, will only sink further down the "ladder."
I realize this is turning into an essay, so I should probably wrap it up. I just have a lot to say, since the bulk of my economics study was on development economics. The situation of the "greatest losers" in the paragraph above is what is often called a "poverty trap." This is where there is a cycle of systemic poverty which cannot be conquered without a major change, such as the provision of infrastructure and open information and knowledge access. Its a point where I feel my vocational calling strongest towards, to not only speak out about it, but to do something. Hence the passion in this post.
How much of what we do now is reliant upon Internet access? A few things that come to mind: this class; readings for class; staying in contact with family, friends, and professors; monitoring one's finances; doing one's taxes; finding answers to questions we have; finding directions; purchasing airline tickets; ordering gifts/presents... the list is obviously never ending. But it serves a point, could you live in today's society without some kind of access to the Internet? It would be pretty difficult. The same goes for electricity. Could you imagine not having electricity in today's society?
The writers of the book comment, "On the one hand, we have the economic and cultural 'real' space of the Northern Hemisphere, propagating the hope of boundless communication, but at the same time aggressively excluding the 'unnetworked' from a fair share of world resources and reducing them to virtual illiterates" (42). This is a new creation of the "have-nots" in our world. We have long had economic poverty, and resource poverty. Now we seemingly have information poverty. This is a poverty confounded by unequal access to education, or secondary education for people because of prohibitive costs or extenuating circumstances, but also, unequal access to the information world of the Internet itself.
This is why there have been a number of initiatives to correct this. I know in Washington State, the Northwest Open Access Network was founded by a number of public utility entities with the hope of being able to provide access to all. This model then was taken by former Washington state governor Gary Locke, who is now the Secretary of Commerce. It can be seen also in the initiatives that President Obama has encouraged.
I think this is valuable work, and something that is important ministry as well. Providing access to all, is not only social justice, its about giving people an opportunity and meeting them where they are. By doing this, we are living out the call to serve our neighbor.
If, however, we do not reach out and help provide these opportunities to people, communities will be left behind. The authors of The Practice of Communicative Theology rightly claim, "the greatest losers will be people in the so-called third and fourth worlds, the nonnetworked laborers, whose potentialities will thus lie fallow" (47). In order for the gifts of God to be realized most fully in our sisters and brothers in Christ, they must have the tools and ability to access the information needed, not only for discernment and discovery, but also to communicate to those in other sectors and ministry services around the world. If they do not, the disadvantaged and oppressed, will only sink further down the "ladder."
I realize this is turning into an essay, so I should probably wrap it up. I just have a lot to say, since the bulk of my economics study was on development economics. The situation of the "greatest losers" in the paragraph above is what is often called a "poverty trap." This is where there is a cycle of systemic poverty which cannot be conquered without a major change, such as the provision of infrastructure and open information and knowledge access. Its a point where I feel my vocational calling strongest towards, to not only speak out about it, but to do something. Hence the passion in this post.
Co-Learners in the Process
I just finished reading Matthias Scharer and Bernd Jochen Hilberath's The practice of Communicative Theology: an introduction to a new theological culture. It is an interesting read. And I will have a couple posts here about thoughts that are running through my head after reading it.
This first one, is actually fitting after an enlightening conversation I had with the some friends at seminary last night after dinner. Regarding communicative theology, "It is much more a question of taking into account the fact that teachers are also learners and that learners provide the teachers with something to teach," and that for this theology "it is a matter of taking seriously the fact that people are involved in reciprocal relationships and have distinctive though not firmly fixed roles" (12).
These quotes seem fitting today because in our talking last night, we made some interesting discoveries. Collectively the group I had dinner with shared the insights that:
1) We are tired of seemingly being treated like "kids" or "highschoolers" while in class here at seminary/grad school. We feel disrespected by some of our professors in the way they structure class and "speak at us." We miss the days of undergrad, and other grad school studies where we were able to count on true seminar discussions of learning by profs from students and students from profs.
Now, this class for whom the blog is a requirement for (Proactive Ministry in Media Culture) is not one of the classes where this has been a problem, let me make that clear! In fact it has been quite the opposite to its credit, and to Dr. Hess' credit as well. But there have been a number of classes where we, the group of us friends, feel this way about. Some professors we have seemingly believe that they know the "truth," and that our quest for inquiry or questions are pointless if we are "wrong," in their eyes. Thus, if we disagree with them, we are seen as disrespectful, rather than as people who are here to try and learn and grow. Where is the discovery in this? It seems completely opposite of the spirit of what a school or place of study should be. It also seems to go against any conception of vocation affirmation.
2) The conversation we had last night was really fruitful too in the sense that we openly and freely wondered about our own sense of vocations and call, and how these could look in the future of this greatly evolving church of ours. It was a conversation that left us wondering, why don't these sort of conversations occur more often in the classroom? They were the sort of conversation that I had once in awhile not only in my undergraduate classes, but also within my graduate school classes last year. They are conversations of "visioning" and "wondering," some thing we talk a lot about in the Reading the Audiences class, but ironically does not seem to get employed much in the curriculum at Luther when wondering about ourselves. I wonder why this is?
These are just two big questions which I am wondering today out of last night's conversation, and I was reminded by the book about them. What might the seminary look like if it was created in such a way that some of its structure was shifted to promote more "wondering" and "self-discovery." I know that in a seminary context, those that are M.Div. students are supposed to get this opportunity through contextual education, CPE, and internships. But I wonder, why can't this be more broadly integrated in the curriculum? Or maybe this is just my MA bias coming through? There are lots of questions running through my head, which I believe is a good thing for students to have and to ponder.
This first one, is actually fitting after an enlightening conversation I had with the some friends at seminary last night after dinner. Regarding communicative theology, "It is much more a question of taking into account the fact that teachers are also learners and that learners provide the teachers with something to teach," and that for this theology "it is a matter of taking seriously the fact that people are involved in reciprocal relationships and have distinctive though not firmly fixed roles" (12).
These quotes seem fitting today because in our talking last night, we made some interesting discoveries. Collectively the group I had dinner with shared the insights that:
1) We are tired of seemingly being treated like "kids" or "highschoolers" while in class here at seminary/grad school. We feel disrespected by some of our professors in the way they structure class and "speak at us." We miss the days of undergrad, and other grad school studies where we were able to count on true seminar discussions of learning by profs from students and students from profs.
Now, this class for whom the blog is a requirement for (Proactive Ministry in Media Culture) is not one of the classes where this has been a problem, let me make that clear! In fact it has been quite the opposite to its credit, and to Dr. Hess' credit as well. But there have been a number of classes where we, the group of us friends, feel this way about. Some professors we have seemingly believe that they know the "truth," and that our quest for inquiry or questions are pointless if we are "wrong," in their eyes. Thus, if we disagree with them, we are seen as disrespectful, rather than as people who are here to try and learn and grow. Where is the discovery in this? It seems completely opposite of the spirit of what a school or place of study should be. It also seems to go against any conception of vocation affirmation.
2) The conversation we had last night was really fruitful too in the sense that we openly and freely wondered about our own sense of vocations and call, and how these could look in the future of this greatly evolving church of ours. It was a conversation that left us wondering, why don't these sort of conversations occur more often in the classroom? They were the sort of conversation that I had once in awhile not only in my undergraduate classes, but also within my graduate school classes last year. They are conversations of "visioning" and "wondering," some thing we talk a lot about in the Reading the Audiences class, but ironically does not seem to get employed much in the curriculum at Luther when wondering about ourselves. I wonder why this is?
These are just two big questions which I am wondering today out of last night's conversation, and I was reminded by the book about them. What might the seminary look like if it was created in such a way that some of its structure was shifted to promote more "wondering" and "self-discovery." I know that in a seminary context, those that are M.Div. students are supposed to get this opportunity through contextual education, CPE, and internships. But I wonder, why can't this be more broadly integrated in the curriculum? Or maybe this is just my MA bias coming through? There are lots of questions running through my head, which I believe is a good thing for students to have and to ponder.
Time for an update
Apologies for the lack of posts over the past week. It was a crazy week. Good classes, and homework, and a snow day which messed up the week's schedule a bit.
The choir continued to grow at Cross of Hope, and Allison preached amazingly on Sunday as part of Bold Women Sunday.
Not to mention, we were blessed with a visit by her dad for the weekend which was fantastic! We got to show him the sights and what life is really like in winter in Minnesota.
He flew home yesterday, but not until he got to sit in and enjoy a class.
This week looks like it will be another fun and packed one.
Even though the weather outside would not suggest that spring is anywhere near here, at least spring training has started, and the first couple games of the preseason are in the books. Go Mariners!
The choir continued to grow at Cross of Hope, and Allison preached amazingly on Sunday as part of Bold Women Sunday.
Not to mention, we were blessed with a visit by her dad for the weekend which was fantastic! We got to show him the sights and what life is really like in winter in Minnesota.
He flew home yesterday, but not until he got to sit in and enjoy a class.
This week looks like it will be another fun and packed one.
Even though the weather outside would not suggest that spring is anywhere near here, at least spring training has started, and the first couple games of the preseason are in the books. Go Mariners!
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